Has An Interim Title Ever Not Been Unified?

[deadshot138]

Or is Jones trailblazing doing GOAT things? I can't think of an instance where an interim and title holder didn't fight to unify the belt.

 

[Lionheart7167]

Wasn't Ferg an interim champ at one point, and injury derailed his fight with Khabib?

 

[Blastbeat]

Renan Barao defended his interim title a few times while Dom Cruz was out injured

 

[milliniar]

Colby and Jon Jones were stripped of their interim title belts. For different reasons but yeah.

Jon Jones stripped of UFC interim LHW title

The inevitable became a reality on Wednesday as Jon Jones was stripped of his interim UFC light heavyweight just days after receiving a one-year suspension his failed UFC 200 drug test.

www.mmafighting.com

Why Did Colby Covington Get Stripped of His Interim Title? Why Did Colby Covington Get Stripped of His Interim Title?

Colby Covington once held the UFC interim welterweight title, let's explore the circumstances that led to him getting stripped of the belt.

www.essentiallysports.com

And Tony

UFC 229’s Tony Ferguson on being stripped of interim title: I’m still ‘the f-cking champ’

Former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson hasn’t had the best year, but ‘El Cucuy’ is hoping to turn things around at UFC 229.

bloodyelbow.com

 

[Mike]

They've stripped guys of interims a few times.

 

[deadshot138]

They've stripped guys of interims a few times.

Think Aspinall gets stripped?

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Gaethje and Poirier never defended theirs interim titles.

 

[milliniar]

Think Aspinall gets stripped?

Would be funny if they strip him when Stipe Vs Jones starts for both of them to retire. Then have Gane vs Volkov for the vacant belt.

 

[Mike]

Think Aspinall gets stripped?

Nah, unless he just absolutely won't ever learn to read the room and STFU. I think he does eventually, someone is gonna sit him down behind closed doors.

The UFC don't care too much about him, compared to Jones and Stipe. They're gonna have their dumb little fight nobody cares about. Unless both guys keep getting injured.

If that happens maybe Stipe fights Tom. I'd bet every dollar l see for the rest of my life that Jones won't. He'll just retire.

 

[Sticko]

There are 4 cases of UFC interim champs being promoted to undisputed champ meaning the previous undisputed champ was stripped for some reason before they could unify: Andrei Arlovski, Robert Whittaker, Jose Aldo, and Renan Barao.

The undisputed champs who got stripped on those 4 occasions were Frank Mir (road accident), GSP (retirement), Conor McGregor (inactivity), and Dominick Cruz (injuries).

Colby Covington and Tony Ferguson were stripped of their interim belts due to injury before they could unify with Tyron Woodley and Conor McGregor, respectively.

Fun fact: Tony's interim LW belt and Conor's undisputed LW belt were stripped on the same day.

So, six occasions in total.

TS, this wiki article has all the info you want and more.

ETA: Jon Jones was also stripped of his interim title, he did in fact go on to fight DC, the undisputed champion at the time, but technically no longer had his interim belt when he did so. Jon won the fight but got stripped again and DC got retroactively reinstated as champ. So seven occasions in total.

List of UFC champions - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[El Fernas]

Colby, Ferguson got stripped, Jones too.

Whittaker, Aldo (iirc) and Barao were promoted to Undisputed, never really unified the belts.

Think Aspinall gets stripped?

Most likely promoted once Jones is done.

 

[Migdagen]

There are 4 cases of UFC interim champs being promoted to undisputed champ meaning the previous undisputed champ was stripped for some reason before they could unify: Andrei Arlovski, Robert Whittaker, Jose Aldo, and Renan Barao.

The undisputed champs who got stripped on those 4 occasions were Frank Mir (road accident), GSP (retirement), Conor McGregor (inactivity), and Dominick Cruz (injuries).

Colby Covington and Tony Ferguson were stripped of their interim belts due to injury before they could unify with Tyron Woodley and Conor McGregor, respectively.

Fun fact: Tony's interim LW belt and Conor's undisputed LW belt were stripped on the same day.

So, six occasions in total.

TS, this wiki article has all the info you want nd more.

List of UFC champions - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Great, thanks. I had GSP retirement in mind but wasn't sure

 

[OldBoy91]

Think Aspinall gets stripped?

Highly doubt it.
Either Jon retires and they promote Tom to undisputed. Or have him fight the Gane/Volkov winner with the vacant belt on the line.

Or, Jones is somehow convinced not to retire and Dana tries to put that fight together. (This one definitely isn't happening, but Dana wants to believe he can convince Jon to stick around and take the fight.?)

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Undisputed champion Bisping did not fight interim champ Whittaker. He fought GSP instead (understandable $$). And GSP vacated after winning. Whittaker became the undisputed champ at that time.

Don’t forget Conor/Aldo. Or Conor/Tony.

 

[Genisys]

Conor was still the undisputed champ when Tony was interim champ.

Tony's fights with Khabib were derailed on multiple occasions but not while Tony held the interim belt

I'm pretty sure Tony had the interim belt when Khabib got the undisputed belt. He was upset because they stripped him of his interim belt.

 

[Sticko]

I'm pretty sure Tony had the interim belt when Khabib got the undisputed belt. He was upset because they stripped him of his interim belt.

No. Conor and Tony were stripped of their belts on the same day. Tony and Khabib never held belts at the same time.

ETA: Tony and Conor were stripped on the same day as the Khabib vs Al Iaquinta fight. Tony was supposed to be the opponent but tore his knee ligament.

 

[Mittens]

No. Conor and Tony were stripped of their belts on the same day. Tony and Khabib never held belts at the same time.

I think the confusion is cause Tony (being Tony) kept carrying his old Interim Belt around for the buildup of the last failed attempt at Tony vs Khabib. When Khabib kicked Tony's belt off stage, etc.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Whittaker never unified. Just got promoted.

Woodley didn't unify against colby, they just stripped him for no reason.

Barao never unified either, but defended his interim title twice (wineland, macdonald)

 

[Dreyga_King of Sherbums]

Or is Jones trailblazing doing GOAT things? I can't think of an instance where an interim and title holder didn't fight to unify the belt.

 

[TheBulge]

Think Aspinall gets stripped?

What would it take?